Ed Martin says DOJ will review Biden’s last-minute pardons – Washington Examiner
Ed Martin, the outgoing acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, announced that the Department of Justice (DOJ) is reviewing several last-minute pardons issued by former President Joe Biden. Martin emphasized the need for scrutiny to ensure that clemency is used appropriately and expressed concerns about certain pardons, notably those involving political figures. Even though he did not specify which pardons would be investigated, there are implications that the Trump administration may challenge the legality of Biden’s pardons, especially those granted preemptively to individuals not yet charged with crimes.
Martin, whose nomination was stalled after losing support from key Republican senators, has been reassigned to lead the Office of the Pardon Attorney and a new DOJ task force focused on the “weaponization” of government agencies. His brief term in the U.S. Attorney’s office included scrutiny of felony charges related to the January 6 Capitol riot. Martin also mentioned renewed efforts by the FBI to investigate unresolved bomb threats at the Capitol from January 2021.
Following martin’s exit, Trump intends to appoint Jeanine Pirro, a longtime ally and Fox News host, as the interim U.S. Attorney for D.C. Martin’s nomination faced difficulties, especially after questions arose regarding his handling of cases related to the January 6 incident.
Ed Martin says DOJ will review Biden’s last-minute pardons
Outgoing acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Ed Martin said Tuesday the Department of Justice is reviewing several of former President Joe Biden’s final-hour pardons, vowing that his new office will scrutinize whether clemency was used “correctly” or politically.
Martin, whose nomination to the Washington, D.C., prosecutor post collapsed last week after key Senate Republicans pulled support, confirmed that President Donald Trump has reassigned him to two new high-profile roles: Director of the Office of the Pardon Attorney and head of the DOJ’s recently established Weaponization Working Group.
“I do think that the Biden pardons need some scrutiny,” Martin said at a press conference announcing the transition. “We want pardons to matter … to be accepted and to be something that’s used correctly. So I do think we’re going to take a hard look.”
Among the Biden pardons that have drawn sharp criticism from Republicans were the preemptive grants of clemency to former White House COVID-19 adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci, former Wyoming GOP Rep. Liz Cheney, and several members of the House Jan. 6 committee. GOP lawmakers and Trump allies have railed against the moves as excessive and self-serving, with some accusing Biden of using the pardon power to insulate political allies from future investigations with a form of immunity.
Martin did not specify which pardons were under review, but his remarks suggest the Trump administration could challenge or investigate the legality of some of Biden’s final clemency decisions before leaving office in January. While presidential pardons are historically difficult, if not impossible, to reverse, Biden’s use of preemptive pardons for people not yet charged with crimes has raised new constitutional questions.
Martin’s tenure in the Washington, D.C., prosecutor’s office was brief and contentious. A former “Stop the Steal” organizer, Martin took office on Trump’s first day in January and quickly moved to reshape the department’s posture toward Jan. 6 defendants, overseeing internal shake-ups and launching a review of felony obstruction charges brought against Capitol riot participants. The Supreme Court struck down the Biden administration’s aggressive use of the obstruction charges.
At the same press conference, Martin also revealed that the FBI has recently reassigned agents to reexamine the unsolved Jan. 5, 2021, Capitol Hill pipe bomb case, an investigation that has remained largely stagnant for years. “There are fresh eyes on it,” he said, adding that he remains “optimistic” that the case can be solved.
TRUMP TO PULL NOMINEE ED MARTIN FOR US ATTORNEY FOR DC
Martin’s exit paves the way for longtime Trump ally and Fox News host Jeanine Pirro to become interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. Pirro, a former New York prosecutor and judge, is expected to be sworn in on Wednesday. Trump has not yet indicated whether he intends to nominate her for a permanent role.
Martin’s nomination had faltered after Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) publicly withdrew support, citing concerns over Martin’s embrace of Capitol riot defendants. Despite the setback, Trump has continued to elevate Martin to roles that signal an aggressive effort to overhaul the DOJ from within.
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